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Trebuchets are mighty monsters of siege, with unrivaled power and precision. They are easy to load and easy to use. Their great size and power is also what makes them ungainly.

A trebuchet is a giant construction that launches a large sling filled with multiple projectiles over enormous distances by the use of counterweight as the trigger. A trebuchet stands about 35 feet tall and weighs about 80,000 pounds. A trebuchet can be purchased in whole for 20,000 gold pieces, or constructed for half as much in raw resources.

Combat

When fired, a trebuchet looses a bundle of multiple projectiles from a large sling mount. A trebuchet does not target specific creatures, but rather the terrain itself. A trebuchet targets a Gargantuan square (1 AC: -4 size, -5 Dex) within its reach. A trebuchet's theoretical max range is a function of its attack bonus, its range increment and the Armor Class of the square it targets. If a natural 20 is insufficient to score a hit against the target AC, the trebuchet is considered to have insufficient range and misses even on such a roll.

Trebuchets are treated as having a reach equal to its range increment. This is the effective minimum range of the trebuchet's attack, and any creature that ventures within its minimum range can no longer be targeted.

Magical effects such as true strike are not applicable to shots made with a trebuchet.

Siege Weapon: A trebuchet is considered a siege weapon. Though not necessarily magical, a siege weapon is treated as adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. A trebuchet requires 2d4 rounds to reload after firing when manned by a normal crew (4 people). A full crew (8 people) can reduce the reloading time by 2 rounds (to a minimum of 2).

Bundled Shot: The trebuchet's bundled shot pelts the targeted area with multiple scattered projectiles, dealing 15d6 damage to any creature or object within 30 feet of the blast epicentre (the center of the targeted square). Creatures are entitled to make a DC 25 Reflex save for half damage. The save DC is Constitution based.

Flaming Payload: The ammunition on the trebuchet's scoop can be made aflame with 5 pints of oil. Doing this will add an additional 5d6 fire damage to the trebuchet's normal damage, but will tardy the reloading process by 1 additional round.

Diseased Payload: Using diseased and bloated corpses that have been left to rot, trebuchets can be used in a form of crude biological warfare. When loaded with corpses, a trebuchet's volley only deals 5d6 damage, but any creature dealt damage that fails a DC 25 Fortitude save becomes diseased. On a failed save, roll a d6, each possible outcome tied to a particular ability score. The incubation time is 1d4 minutes, and the ability damage done by the disease at subsequent failed saves is 1d6 primary and secondary damage to the ability score rolled.

Range: A trebuchet has a range increment of 100 ft, an effective range of 1200 ft. and a maximum range of 1700 ft.